As a city that has both dinosaurs and astronauts in spades, Houston is a pretty great place to raise a family. The area features dozens of sites where kids can learn and play all at the same time. Memberships to these nearby attractions can be a great alternative to mountains of toys on birthdays and holidays — not to mention a fun outing for kids to take with grandparents, nannies, and babysitters.
When you’re shelling out $10 to $20 a pop for tickets each time, an annual pass can also be a great cost-saver for families who frequent the same places over and over again. Here are 10 Houston-area family memberships, in particular, that are totally worth the annual fee.
Houston Zoo
Address: 6200 Hermann Park Drive, Houston, TX 77030
Hours: Open daily, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Phone: 713-533-6500
Annual Family Membership: $139 – $199
It’s hard to find a better deal for families in Houston than an annual membership to the zoo. This Hermann Park attraction is a favorite among young families, and membership is worth the cost if you go two or three times a year or more. Membership gets you free entry into the zoo year round, as well as discounted tickets for Zoo Lights, one of the best places to see holiday lights in Houston. It also gives you free or discounted access to other zoos throughout North America, including zoos in San Antonio, Dallas, and El Paso.
Pro-tip: Be sure to do some back-of-the-napkin calculations to see which membership level is right for you, based on how many people you want to include (including nannies or babysitters), any activities (like the carousel), and the ages of your children. Admission is free for kids ages 2 and under, so families with a younger toddler or baby might want to consider an individual membership instead. At $79 per year, the Individual Plus membership is much cheaper than a family but still allows you to bring your 0-2-year-old, as well as one guest per visit (such as a spouse) at no additional cost.
Houston Science Museum
Address: 5555 Hermann Park Drive, Houston, TX 77030
Hours: Open daily, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Phone: 713-639-4665
Annual Family Membership:$115 – $195
You don’t have to be a science nerd to love the Houston Museum of Natural Science. The four-story museum has so much to do — from the Morian Hall of Paleontology to the butterfly garden to the planetarium — that it’s tough to see everything there is to see in one visit. Getting a membership is a great way to save money if you know you’ll be back time and time again.
Besides getting free admission to all of the permanent exhibitions like the dinosaur hall and reduced-price tickets for special exhibitions, one of the best perks of being a member is getting discounts at the museum’s gift shop. The store has a ton of cool science-y gifts for kids of all ages, including kid-friendly books on anything from caterpillars to chemistry. Being a member also gets you early and discounted registration for the museum’s summer camps and invitations to members-only events.
Space Center Houston
Address: 1601 NASA Parkway, Houston, TX 77058
Hours: Vary by season | Click here to view the calendar.
Phone: 281-244-2100
Annual Family Membership: $130 – $185
One of the coolest things about living in Houston is being close to NASA’s Mission Control. The massive Johnson Space Center complex is located about a 30-minute drive from downtown, and houses some of NASA’s most interesting treasures, including Rocket Park (home to the Saturn V rocket) and a life-size replica of a space shuttle on top of a 747. With so many hands-on exhibits and things to explore, you’ll want to come back multiple times to see it all.
Members get priority boarding for the tram tour, which could save you up to an hour of waiting in line — not to mention your sanity if you have wiggly, bored kids in tow. They also get to park for free and receive discounts on camps, food, and the gift shop. At $25 to $30 a piece for everyone ages 4 and up, regularly priced tickets are not cheap. If you plan on visiting the Space Center more than once a year, it could save you a ton of money.
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Address: 1001 Bissonnet, Houston, TX 77005
Hours: Tuesday & Wednesday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Thursday, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. | Friday & Saturday, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. | Sunday, 12:15 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Phone: 713-639-7300
Annual Pass Price: $95
For families with a wide range of ages, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, offers a selection of kid-friendly programs, as well as sophisticated classes and lectures for teens and adults. Membership gives you access to family programs throughout the year that feature hands-on activities to help school-aged kids connect with art in a fun and meaningful way. The museum even offers a special program for babies and toddlers and their caregivers that allows them to work with non-toxic materials to explore art from a young age. A family membership also gives you discounted tickets for the holiday village at Bayou Bend, when the mansion and gardens are converted to a winter wonderland and Santa comes to town.
If you’re only interested in the main galleries, however, a family membership gives you unlimited, free admission to the permanent exhibits for two adults and all of the children under 18 living in the household. But kids ages 12 and under are always free anyway, so families with younger children could save a little money by purchasing the dual or individual memberships instead for $80 and $60 respectively.
Children’s Museum of Houston
Address: 1500 Binz, Houston, TX 77004
Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. | Thursday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. | Sunday, noon – 6 p.m.
Phone: 713-522-1138
Annual Family Membership: $120 – $500
The Children’s Museum of Houston is one of the best museums of its kind in the United States and easily one of the top five repeat attractions for Houston families. Tickets are $12 a piece for everyone over 12 months old, and multiple trips per year can get pretty expensive. For families of four going to the museum three or more times in a year, it’s worth the cost for the lowest-price membership.
All family memberships give you access to the museum for free throughout the year. Different levels, however, give you a growing number of benefits, including free admission to Travel Passport Program institutions throughout the country, discounted parking, and priority registration for the museum’s special programs. If you’re on the west side of town, a family membership also gives you access to the Fort Bend Children’s Discovery Center, effectively giving you two memberships for the price of one.
Texas State Parks
Location & hours: Vary by park
Annual Pass Price: $70
We encourage kids to get squirrely.
These students are learning about wildlife via distance learning with a park ranger. Search for our programs at https://t.co/RJkfvKuTdx
Thanks to Jody Steed for the pic #TxEd pic.twitter.com/4kf69rKQjq
— Texas Parks & Wildlife (@TPWDnews) December 12, 2017
Families who would rather spend a day fishing or hiking than inside a museum might prefer an annual pass to Texas state parks instead. Passes provide free admission to everyone inside your vehicle, along with some discounts on camping and equipment rentals.
The Houston area is home to 10 state parks and historic sites within a short drive of downtown. Brazos Bend State Park, in particular, is perhaps most popular among Houston families because of its peculiar residents. The park is home to hundreds of alligators, including some more than 6 feet long. Don’t worry, though. No one has ever been injured by an alligator at Brazos Bend. But it can be thrilling to see a gator in the wild — as long as you exercise some caution, of course.
Houston Arboretum & Discovery Nature Center
Address: 4501 Woodway Drive, Houston, TX 77024-7708
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Phone: 713-681-8433
Annual Family Membership: $75 – $95
For outdoor activities with a bit more structure, families can get annual passes to the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center. Located within Memorial Park, the arboretum is perfect for Inner-Loop nature lovers who want to stick a little closer to home. On top of the serene trails and gardens, this site offers a ton of family activities and children’s programs, including spring break camps and adult-friendly evening events. Membership gains you access to the trails, discounts on classes for both kids and adults, priority registration for camps, and (bonus!) arboretum plant sales.
Moody Gardens
Address: 1 Hope Blvd., Galveston, TX 77554
Hours: Open daily, hours vary by season | See website for details.
Phone: 800-582-4673
Annual Family Membership: $475
One more great Moody Gardens gift idea: It’s never too early to start planning for the summer! Enjoy unlimited Access to Palm Beach and our other awesome attractions with a Seasonal Membership! https://t.co/ZKdn4yNdU0 pic.twitter.com/SomKTPhEwg
— Moody Gardens (@MoodyGardens) December 9, 2017
Galveston-based Moody Gardens offers a wide range of attractions for curious and active families. The park boasts an aquarium, indoor rainforest, traveling science exhibits, ropes course, and an IMAX 3-D theater, among other activities. An annual family membership gives you free admission to nearly every attraction for up to five people — including entrance to the popular holiday-themed festival of lights.
At nearly $500 a year, family memberships are not cheap. So if you aren’t sure you’ll get your money’s worth, you can buy a single-day pass to try it out, and the purchase price goes toward a membership, as long as you buy it within 30 days of the visit. Seasonal passes are also available for Palm Beach, the park’s white sand beach attraction, for $65 per person.
Houston Maritime Museum
Address: 2204 Dorrington, Houston, TX 77030
Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Phone: 713-666-1910
Annual Family Membership: $100
This quirky and interesting site chronicles maritime history with the help of more than 150 model ships, artifacts, and nautical instruments. Because of its niche, it doesn’t have the big crowds or flashing lights of some of the other kid-centered attractions, and if you come on a weekday, you’ll likely have your run of the place. One of the coolest features of the museum is its playroom, where kids can play dress-up, learn to decode messages, and a host of other fun activities. It’s a great place for curious kids to spend rainy days in Houston. On top of access to the museum year round, members get reduced prices on classes, free admission to lectures, and discounts at the gift shop.
Asia Society
Address: 1370 Southmore Blvd., Houston, TX 77004
Hours: Tuesday – Friday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. | Saturday & Sunday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Phone: 713-496-9901
Annual Family Membership: $120
Happy #Thanksgving! Learn about the Korean #Chuseok holiday which celebrates a similar sentiment. https://t.co/J96rpCrP6c pic.twitter.com/evnvXExarx
— Asia Society (@AsiaSociety) November 23, 2017
For families eager to expose their children to diverse cultures and stories, the Asia Society offers a host of events, exhibits, and programs for a wide range of ages. This site is so much more than a museum. It frequently hosts performances, author talks, and film screenings, as well as lectures exploring important and far-reaching issues like human rights, climate change, and global economics. It also features kid-friendly activities aimed at sharing the rich diversity of Asian nationalities and cultures through things like food workshops, holiday celebrations, and night markets. Membership allows you access to all of it, along with parking vouchers, and discounts on store items.
Do you have family memberships that were worth the money? Share your experience in the comments below!
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